Two peptides with potent anti-herpes activity in vitro MCP-1 and MCP-2, have been isolated from rabbit macrophages. The long-term objective of this application is the development of these peptides for human therapeutic use. Because the natural source is limited, recombinant DNA techniques will be used to produce these peptides for testing in various animal models of herpetic disease. Specific aims include: 1) chemically cleaving and isolating biologically active MCP-1 from a fusion protein expressed in Escherichia coli; 2) expressing a fusion protein in E. coli containing multiple copies of MCP-1 to increase the peptide yield; 3) secreting MCP-1 into the E. coli periplasm to test for stable, direct MCP-1 expression. At the end of Phase I, the following will be accomplished: 1) methods will be in place for the purification of biologically active MCP-1 from bacteria; 2) enough peptide will be isolated to initiate animal studies; 3) the multiple MCP-1 gene and secretion gene constructs will be built. Phase II will include: 1) animal studies of MCP-1 in vivo anti-herpes efficacy; 2) continuing efforts to produce both MCP-1 and MCP-2 in bacteria; 3) searching for related human peptides by gene cloning techniques.